Lawmakers and leaders at all levels make decisions on a regular basis that have the potential to impact you, your community, your organization and your industry. An effective advocacy plan can help you influence their decisions and achieve your policy goals. An effective advocacy plan requires an effective story. In this workshop, Jenifer Sarver will help you develop and hone your story, and build the communication skills necessary to identify the right audience, the right message and the right communications vehicles to deliver it. In order for this training to be practical and relevant to
issues the industry is currently facing, we will specifically focus on two
policy issues: maintenance of the school start date law, and the preservation
of full funding for Texas Tourism. We will also discuss the importance of
building and sustaining relationships with key policymakers and how you can
become an asset to them by becoming a trusted resource and telling the story of
the impact of travel and tourism on local economies, communities and citizens. The
session will include hands-on, practical training giving participants an
opportunity to role-play on camera and hone their skills in a collaborative,
fun environment.

Keynote: The Economic Forecast for Texas and What it Means for the Travel and Tourism Industry- Grand Ballroom AB

How is the economy
impacting Texas, the travel and tourism industry, and your bottom line?
What does our economic future look like? What important policy decisions,
trends and factors in Texas, the U.S. and throughout the world will be
influencing your visitors’ travel decisions today and tomorrow? And, most
importantly, what do Texas travel industry decision makers need to know about
our economy to make important business decisions today and tomorrow? Texas’ foremost economist, Dr. Ray Perryman will provide his
expert assessment of today’s economy, offer his economic outlook for the
future, and explain what it all means for those of us in the Texas travel and
tourism industry.

You’ve seen “Crossfire” on CNN, “Outnumbered” on Fox and “Point-Counterpoint” on CBS. Now is your chance to join Dan Decker as he hosts TTIA’s “CONFRONTATION” live for a rapid-fire edutainment hour confronting the topics that are sure to be hot buttons during the 2017 Texas Legislative session. Decker will moderate a series of panels for spirited discussions that will provide insight to all sides of the issues from passionate outspoken member experts, and you the audience will be able to join in with hard-hitting questions on topics like: Public Facilities Privacy and Security (”the bathroom issue”), shared economies (short-term rentals), attractions ride safety legislation, and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime exemption. This session will be informative and entertaining, leaving you energized with thought-provoking conversation starters to network the rest of the night away. It’s a way to have a little fun with some very serious topics.

Audience Connection and Conversion in Today’s World- Grand Ballroom ABA panel discussion that will bring to light the new spectrum of “methods” that are critical to reach the right audience at the right time AND provide metrics on their level of interest, engagement and conversion to action. The panelists will demonstrate how Advanced TV is hand-held, how targeted groups can be identified and geo-fenced by mobile, as well as the result when print and digital collide. A key element of these discussions will summarize what Customer Relationship Management (CRM) means today and tomorrow. The session begins with Summit attendees participating in “live polling” to determine order priority of our audience discussions: Device ID Targeting, TV Everywhere, Print vs. Digital, Facebook vs. Other Social, CRM Now.

Kick-Off Summit Meet and Greet, Recognizing First Timers- Balcony A, Level 2Attending a large conference for the first time can be a little intimidating. You'll quickly find the Texas tourism industry as a welcoming group. Come mix and mingle and meet others new and old to TTIA.Sponsored by Visit Houston, Houston First and Lower Colorado River Authority

(Open to ALL attendees)

6:00pm – 8:15pm

On Your Own Dinner

8:15pm

Opening Night Event - House of BluesJoin Visit Houston and AJR Media Group for an opening night celebration at the famous House of Blues featuring two live bands, signature cocktails and tasty dishes to welcome you to town. From the facelift of the George R. Brown Convention Center to the redesigned Avenida de las Americas and glittering hotel developments, including the Marriott Marquis Hotel, there is a whole new Houston to discover.

We're also pleased to celebrate AJR Media Group's 25th anniversary with you, along with the 20th anniversary of the launch of TourTexas.com. Founded in Houston in 1991, AJR has been a great supporter of Houston and a significant contributor to TTIA and our industry since their inception. AJR would like to thank their clients from all over Texas for their support through the years.

"Catering to the Chinese Traveler"We all know China is hot right now but does your business have what it takes to win over this unique traveler? Learn real-world practices that can help your business truly capitalize on the lucrative Chinese traveler.Facilitator: Jorge Franz, Senior Vice President of Tourism, Visit Houston“What TaxFree Shopping Means to Our State!”How can you take advantage of the Tax Free Shopping trend? Learn from the experts in the field the economic benefits of offering international visitors an opportunity to shop tax free in your destinationFacilitator: Ben Petty, Managing Partner, TaxFree Shopping, Inc.

8:30am – 9:15am

TTIA Annual Business Meeting - Grand Ballroom ABThis annual meeting of the TTIA membership includes a vote by the membership to formally elect candidates nominated for "at large” positions on the TTIA Board, announcement of new TTIA Board Officers, and the President’s Report on the Association’s accomplishments and activities over the last year. The meeting will also include a briefing on upcoming initiatives.

9:15am – 10:00am

Clayton ReidPresident & CEO
MMGY

Keynote: Conventional Wisdom in Travel Marketing - Avoid the Plague of Blind Belief - Grand Ballroom ABIn the travel industry, we are all sometimes guilty of
following age-old conventions that lead us to miss market opportunities. In his
keynote presentation, MMGY CEO Clayton Reid will discuss key insights about
travelers, travel trends and marketing technology that might require thinking
about your Brand differently.

Market Trends Panel Discussion - Grand Ballroom ABExperts from ADARA, TripAdvisor, Visit Houston, and
Hyatt Regency Resorts join Clayton Reid in a lively discussion that delves
deeper into the key findings of Mr. Reid’s keynote. This engaging, in-depth
exchange will provide information and perspectives on trends in travel demand,
traveler preferences, the growth of the sharing economy and more. Plus,
you will have the opportunity to engage with these experts to explore how your
brand can best leverage these latest insights, trends and technologies to
influence and shape traveler behavior.

Keynote: The Next Big
Ideas in Travel- Grand Ballroom ABThe
things that worked to get tourism in Texas where we are today won’t likely get
us to where we want to be in the next 10 to 20 years. We need fresh ideas and innovative
thinking to stay a step ahead. And we need some smart strategy to make sure
we're headed in right direction. Travel expert, journalist and author,
Doug Lansky, will deliver on this and more. He will open our minds to the road
ahead. Doug has spoken at some of the biggest tourism conferences around
the world and advised many of the world's leading destinations, from Australia
to Aruba. It's a keynote you don't want to miss!

Moving the Texas Tourism Brand Forward - Grand Ballroom ABIn this session, Texas Tourism will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how the state tourism program is evolving and capitalizing on new trends and technologies to enhance the marketing of Texas in a more complex media landscape to bring more visitors to the Lone Star State.Speakers: Brad Smyth, Tourism Director, Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism; Tim Fennell, Tourism Deputy Director, Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism; Nate Gieryn, Tourism Research Manager, Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism; and Charlotte Carter, VP, Media & Communication Planning, SlingshotSponsored by AAA
Texas Journey and AAA Living/AJR Media Group

Workforce Development Panel Discussion - Grand Ballroom ABWanna be a rock star leader? Looking for that next hidden talent? Well then look no further than TTIA’s own legendary rock star recruiter Frank Morogiello. Frank has more than 30 years of experience finding, developing and leading travel industry rock star’s to their next gig. He and his band of well-known industry leadership artists will give a one-hour performance; sharing their life experiences during their rise to the top of the charts and how they have learned to find and fine tune other developing leadership stars along the way. This session is sure to be music to your ears and a show you won’t want to miss.

Roundtable Topics:“International Research”
Please join us to discuss international research findings, trends, sources, and how
research can be a valuable tool to help guide and support marketing activities.Facilitator: Nate Gieryn, Tourism Research Manager, Office of the Governor,
Economic Development & Tourism

“Where are Shared Economy Accommodations Headed?"Join Ernie Loeffler from the Fredericksburg CVB and Matthew Curtis of HomeAway for adiscussion on the recent boom of shared economy accommodations and where they are
headed.What makes this type of accommodation so popular and what effects can you
expect it to have on your community. Facilitators: Ernie Loeffler, President/CEOr, Fredericksburg CVB and Matthew Curtis,
Senior Director, Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, HomeAway

“A Look into the Crystal Ball of the 2017 Texas Legislative Session"No bill has been written yet there is enormous speculation about proposed legislation both large and small. Ask our TTIA Legislative experts Homero Lucero and Ron Hinkle
anything about the upcoming legislative session and TTIA’s legislative agenda, and they willlikely have some insight on what may happen and how we can best prepare our industryto answer.Facilitator: Homero Lucero, Sr VP of Government Relations and Communications, Texas Travel Industry Association and Ron Hinkle,Lobbyist, Texas Travel Industry Association

8:45am – 9:15am

Industry Innovations - Grand Ballroom AB

Speakers: Bill Lavers, Executive Director, Development Corporation of Snyder, Inc.
and and Danny Schallenberg, Tiny House Builder and Developer in Spur, Texas

9:15am - 11:15am

The Destination Development Lab- Grand Ballroom ABMany destinations offer the same product year after year and hope marketing alongcan generate improved results. Destination development is one of the most importantaspects of creating a unique selling proposition and staying relevant, but many arereluctant to take this path because it's unfamiliar territory. TTIA’s newest hand-on program, The Destination Development Lab, will break down the process and show how tocreate new brand-aligned attractions, how to use these new products to increase visitorspending, and how to bring the rest of the stakeholders into the fold. Doug Lansky, world renowned travel writer and leading destination advisor, will run The Lab and helpyou build your brand platform and launch new and exciting ideas,products and services that are sure to deliver results. Your competitors will be there, WILL YOU?